by Margaux Carel

Laure Pariente, Artistic Director of American Retro and Zoetee’s

I am a 32 years old Parisian and I am the artistic director of AMERICAN RETRO and ZOETEE’S.

I studied international business, which has nothing to do with fashion- but I knew that I wanted to be independent and to have my own business one day.

I have always worked in the fashion industry. Before creating my own brand, I was a sales associate in a multibrand shop. After that, my husband, his older brother and I decided to launch our label.

You created American Retro in 2002, tell us about this adventure.

Just after school David, my husband, and I had the opportunity to distribute Joe’s Jeans from Los Angeles, so we decided to drop our jobs and start our own business with Gregory, my brother in law. Over the summer, we went to India to meet a supplier and from there we started AMERICAN RETRO. It was a line of cotton voile dresses, blouses, and cargo pants. It was a huge success at the first “Who’s Next” show.

What about Zoetee’s?

The idea for Zoetee’s came to us in 2005. We realized that the t-shirt was something really different from any other garments and that it deserved to have an unique label … And I’m a big t-shirt lover!

Who is the typical American Retro girl?

The American Retro girl is a young independent woman. She likes clothes, she likes to play and to mix & match. She is a woman who enjoys herself and wants to have fun in life!

What was your inspiration for the FW 11 collection?

This collection was inspired by exotic animals such as panthers and leopards and by the Eighties gothic icon Elvira, handcrafted knits, different mixes of lace and velvet.

The overall look of this season lies between an urban metropolitan style with gothic elements and a luxurious, winterish party look!

According to you, who is the ultimate Parisian girl?

The ultimate Parisian is stylish, but doesn’t take any risks. She likes vintage and she likes to be unique.

If you had to design a line for another famous brand, which one would it ideally be?